Beet Storage: separate the greens from the beets. Store each in plastic bags in the fridge. USE THE GREENS within 36 hours of their harvest, they are delicious and just like chard but don't hang out for a long time.

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light in color and foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well creamed. Stir in chocolate mixture, followed by applesauce and beets. Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in wheat germ and almonds. Turn into greased 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.
While I had fun developing the chocolate beet recipe, it's a treat to see the expression on people's faces when I tell them what's in the recipe. - a note from the author of this recipe.

Julia’s beet idea for brownies: confession: usually when I bake it’s 100% from scratch, and it’s not necessarily low fat. But I confess I tried the ‘no pudge’ brownie mix from Trader Joe’s (just add vanilla yogurt, mix, and bake. Really). It was fudgy and a bit hit in my house. So I tried it again and this time added a whole cup of golden beet puree. It was too beety, even for me. So: I tried *again* with 2/3 cup beet puree. Success!:Julia’s Cheating Brownies

1 box “No Pudge Brownie Mix” available at Trader Joe’s and possibly other retailers.
2/3 cup vanilla yogurt, as instructed on their box. (ok, I used plain lowfat because it’s what I had: it was fine!)
2/3 cup beet puree (boiled beets, pureed in a food processor)
Mix altogether, and bake as instructed on the brownie package mix.

SIMPLE BEET SALAD WITH ONIONS

Grate scrubbed beets or cut into julienne; toss with chopped green onions and a vinaigrette you make or from a bottle in your fridge. Add toasted nuts and/or a sharp cheese (blue, Parmesan, feta). Serve alone or with lettuce.

ROASTED BEETS

Just cut them into chunks and roast them with olive oil, S & P until they are tender.

Simple summer beet soup

Boil and peel beets. (can use both kinds). Whirl in food processor
with orange or lemon juice, small amount of fresh mint leaves if you have some,
and black pepper. Chill. Serve with plain yogurt or sourcream.

A beet suggestion from Anina Marcus, a CSA member from Carmel: "I would like to say what I did with the beets. I parboiled them till tender, sliced them thin and then made a vinaigrette of meyer lemon, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons honey or pomegranite molasses and then sprinkled your thinly diced mint over all that. It was so lovely. If you really want to get adventurous you can slice strawberries into that also. You get the wonderful sweet of the strawberry against the different sweet of the beet all put into balance by the meyer lemon and balsamic to offset the sugars slightly.. Its a palate pleaser... I just had to tell you because I did that tonight to go with corn on the cob."

Creamy Beet Soup with Pistachio Mousse
adapted from From the Cook's Garden by Ellen Ogden

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beets and onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the apple juice, spices, and return to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir in the sourcream or yogurt.

Transfer to a bowl and cool. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile make the pistachio mousse. Process all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the soup cold, seasoning with the salt and pepper and garnishing each bowl with a spoonful of the mousse.

Preheat oven to 375. Wash, trim and wrap beets individually in foil. Place in a shallow pan and roast until tender. A sharp kitchen paring knife should pierce through the foil easily. Set aside to cool. Mix dressing by combining all ingredients except oil. When all ingredients are smooth, whisk in the oil and set aside. Many people don't prepare fresh beets because of the staining juices. Wearing laytex or vinyl gloves will protect your hands and preparing on a covered surface

will protect your cutting board. I often roast beets without wrapping and use them skin included. However, this is an alternative method. Whatever method you use, it is well worth the effort!

Unwrap the beets, and rub away skin. Slice into wedges and set into your dish. Spoon curry over the beets and serve at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously oil the baking pan (9 inch square or round pan). In
a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Thoroughly whisk in the sugar, oil,
vanilla, salt and beet puree until very smooth. In a separate bowl, sift
together the flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to
the wet ingredients a little at a time, whisking until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake
for 45 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes
out clean. Cool in the pan. Serve topped with confectioners
sugar, whipped cream, or frosting. (from a Mollie Katzen book)

To roast the beets: Wrap the beets in foil. Place in a preheated 425F oven. Cook for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Rub off the skins.

Place the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the salt.

While whisking, pour in the oils and continue to whisk until the vinaigrette is completely blended.

To serve:
Just before serving, slice the beets. Toss the beets and greens together in a bowl. Drizzle on the vinaigrette and toss again. Serve garnished with the hard boiled eggs and walnuts. (You'll have extra vinaigrette.)

Chiogga beet salad
adapted from the LA Times: November 15, 2006
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus 1 hour standing time Servings: 4
Note: From Christian Shaffer. Red and golden beets may be used instead of the chiogga beets.

1. Boil the beets in enough water to cover, with 2 tablespoons salt, until tender, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of beet.

2. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, coriander and shallot and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes. In another bowl, combine the crème fraîche, horseradish, one-half teaspoon salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Drain the beets and, while still warm, peel them. Slice them into wedges, about 8 to 10 per beet, and cool.

4. Pour the vinegar mixture over the beets and let stand, covered, at room temperature for an hour. Spoon the horseradish cream onto a platter, covering the bottom. Using a slotted spoon, mound the beets over the cream. Garnish the beets with the chervil and serve.

Teriyaki Beets from Fresh from the Farm and Garden by The Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden
julia’s note: you can add one finely miced clove of garlic to this sauce if you like. Any color beet will do quite nicely in this recipe.

Boil or steam beets until almost tender (10-15 minutes). Rinse in cold water and cut in half. Combine rest of ingredients in small pan. Heat gently, stirring, until sauce is smooth. Brush sauce on beets and heat under broiler 5-10 minutes, basting frequently.

Honeyed Beet Quinoa Summer Salad, with variations
from Fresh from the Farm and Garden by The Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden

julia’s note: I make many variations of this salad, with whatever vegetables/alliums/dressing I have on hand. I love using quinoa, but brown rice and couscous also work nicely. Likely other grains too. For this much salad I usually use half the amount of cheese they recommend and half the amount of nuts. Any mixture of the below herbs work well: just parsley, just cilantro, just basil, or any combo... chives, tarragon for a different flavor..... the possibilities are endless and having a salad like this on hand makes healthy lunches/dinners much easier.

Dice roasted beets and marinate in orange and lemon juice and honey at least one hour. (Julia’s note: I warm up my honey a bit before mixing it in the juices/oil... but don’t make it too hot or it will ‘cook’ the juice and fruity oil!) Combine with other ingredients except salad greens. Chill at least one hour to allow flavors to blend. Serve on bed of salad greens.

BEETS
From a book I got from the library: A Mother’s Book of Traditional Household Skills by L.G. Abell, originally published in 1853

Wash them clean with a cloth, rubbing them well. Be careful not to cut them, unless they are very large, and then you may cut them in two, not splitting them. They require, when grown full size, three or four hours’ boiling. When tender all through, scrape off the outside, split or cut them in thin round slices, and pour over melted butter, and sprinkle with pepper. Boiled beets sliced, and put in spiced vinegar until pickled, are good. Gthe tops of beets are good in summer boiled as greens. Beets should be kept in the cellar, covered with earth to keep them fresh. It is said they are nicer roasted as potatoes for the table. Orange Beets

Leaving root and 1 inch of stem on beets, trim tops, and scrub with a brush. Place in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain; cool. Trim off beet roots; rub off skins. Cut beets into cubes to measure 3 1/2 cups.
1. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add beets, rind, and next 4 ingredients (rind through pepper). Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is the consistency of a thin syrup (about 12 minutes), stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with almonds.

The beets, leeks, and dressing can all be prepared and stored separately in the refrigerator up to two days in advance; just let them all come close to room temperature before serving. The dressing gets thicker as it stands, so add more water to thin it if necessary. To avoid staining your hands when rubbing the skins off the beets, wear gloves or rub the beets under running water.
2 medium beets (about 3/4 pound)
Cooking spray
4 cups thinly sliced leek (about 1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cups alfalfa sprouts

Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place beets on a small baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a fork. Cool. Trim off beet roots and stem; rub off skins. Cut each beet in half lengthwise; slice each beet half crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Combine leek, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; toss well to coat. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until tender and just beginning to brown; stir after 8 minutes.
Combine water, lime juice, peanut butter, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk until smooth.
Arrange 1/3 cup sprouts on each of 6 salad plates; divide the beets and leek evenly among servings. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons dressing over each serving.

I just threw it together, so it's a simple one. trim ends off beets, then steam until soft rinse with cold water, so that the skin peels right off. dice up, mix with thinly sliced onions, (red, white or yellow), add crumbled crostini, and plenty of balsamic vinegar, salt/pepper to taste with a dash of extra virgin olive oil. Toss, EAT.

Dutch Beet Salad
from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff

Grate the fresh beets on the finest grater you have-preferably one used to grate lemon peel. If you are using a food processor, use the blade with the smallest holes. Place the grated beets in a bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients until blended and pour over the beets. Toss and marinate in refrigerator for several hours before serving. For an interesting variation substitute grated carrots and/or grated daikon radishes for 1/3 of the beets. Serves 4 to 6.

Grilled Beets from a customer

Toss with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper and GRILL over direct heat for 15-20 and finish indirect heat approx. 40 min for approx. 1-1/2" dia. beet (grill with skin on of course and 1/2 of tops and roots). These are superior to oven roasting - I can't go back to oven roasting now!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap beets in foil and bake for 1 hour or until tender. Cool and peel the beets. Place beets, apples, cheese and horseradish in a food
processor, process until well blended. Serve with crackers or pita chips.

Peel beets and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. In a
steamer set over boiling water steam beets until tender, about 10
minutes, and transfer to a bowl. Discard course stems from
arugula. Wash arugula well and dry. In a bowl whisk together
vinegar and salt and pepper to taste and whisk in oil until
emulsified. Pour half of vinaigrette over beets and toss well. To
vinaigrette remaining in bowl add arugula and toss well. Arrange
arugula and beets on 2 plates. Serves 2.

Gourmet, March 1997

BOILED BEETS AND WILTED BEET GREENS W/ GARLIC & LEMONThis sauce utilizes both the beets and their
leafy tops, so freshness is paramount. Boiled and diced
beets are added to a simple sauce of tender beet greens wilted in
garlic and olive oil. A splash of lemon juice helps balance
the sweetness in the beets, as does the gentle bitterness of the
greens themselves.

1. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a
large pot for cooking the pasta.

2. Slice the beet stems where the leaves begin
and set the leaves aside. Trim all but the last inch of the
stems from the beets themselves. Trim any dangling roots
and wash the beets to remove any dirt. The trimmed beets should
weigh about 1 pound. (Julias note: if you have a beet or 2
left over, they are good grated raw into a salad.)

3. Place the beets in a medium saucepan and cover
with water. Bring the water to a boil and add salt to taste.
Simmer until the beets are tender enough so that a metal skewer
slides easily through them, about 25 minutes. Drain the
beets and cool them slightly. Use paper towels to hold the
beets and rub gently to slip off their skins. Trim and discard
the remaining portion of the stem. Cut the peeled beets
into 1/4 inch cubes and set them aside.

4. While the beets are cooking, place the beet
greens in a large bowl and soak in several changes of cold water
until no grit appears on the bottom of the bowl. Shake the
leaves to remove excess moisture but do not dry them. Slice the
damp leaves crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips and set them
aside. There should be about 5 cups of shredded beet greens.
(Julia's note about the 'several changes of cold water': I just
wash the beets, but then I'm not a fussy chef from New York City....)

5. Heat the oil in a large saute pan with a
cover. Add the garlic and saute over medium heat until golden,
about 2 minutes. Add the beet greens and 1 teaspoon salt.
Stir several times to coat the leaves with the oil. Cover
and cook, stirring several more times, until the beet greens have
wilted, about 5 minutes.

6. Stir in the cubed beets and the lemon juice
and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Taste for
salt and adjust seasonings if necessary.

7. While preparing the sauce, cook and drain the
pasta. Toss the hot pasta with the beet sauce. Mix well and
transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Serve immediately.

In a 2-quart microwave-safe round glass casserole
with a lid, microwave the beets with the water and the garlic,
covered, on high power(100%), stirring every 2 minutes, for 6-9
minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork,
transferring them to a cutting board as they are cooked and
reserving the garlic, and let them cool. Peel the beets, halve
them, and slice them 1/4 inch thick. Peel the reserved garlic,
mash it to a paste with the flat side of a heavy knife, and in a
serving bowl stir it together with the oil, the coriander, the
vinegar, the scallion, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the
sliced beets and sprinkle the mixture with the walnuts.

Divide watercress between 2 salad plates and
arrange grapefruit sections and cheese decoratively on top. In a
small bowl toss together beets, 2 teaspoons oil, and vinegar and
divide between salads. Drizzle salads with remaining oil and
season with salt and pepper. Serves 2.

Trim the beets, leaving 2 inches of the stem ends
intact and reserving 1 pound of the beet greens. In a kettle
cover the beets with 2 inches cold water, bring to a boil, and
simmer the beets, covered, for 20 to 35 minutes (depending on
their size), or until they are tender. Drain the beets and under
the cold running water slip off and discard their skins and stems.
In a skillet bring to a boil the stout and the vinegar and whisk
in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the beets, quartered, add
the salt and pepper to taste, and keep the beets warm, covered.
In a large skillet heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over
moderately high heat until the foam subsides, in it sautŽ the
reserved beet greens, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until they are
tender, and stir in the salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the
greens around the edge of a platter and mound the beets in the
center.

Gourmet, March 1990

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH BEET GREENS AND FETA

Good cooks never discard the nutritious beet
greens. Here, the greens are combined with roasted beets, capers
and feta in a Greek-inspired salad.

Preheat oven to 375¡F. Whisk oil, vinegar and
garlic in small bowl to blend. Season dressing generously with
salt and pepper.

Cut green tops off beets; reserve tops. Arrange
beets in single layer in 13x9x2-inch baking dish; add 1 cup water.
Cover; bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about
1 hour 10 minutes. Peel beets while warm. Cut beets in half and
slice thinly. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in capers and 1/4 cup
dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut stems off beet greens; discard stems. Wash
greens. Transfer greens, with some water still clinging to
leaves, to large pot. Stir over high heat until just wilted but
still bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain greens; squeeze out
excess moisture. Cool; chop coarsely.

Transfer greens to medium bowl. Toss with enough
dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange
beets in center of platter. Surround with greens; sprinkle with
feta. Drizzle with any remaining dressing.

Heat oil in large non stick skillet over low heat.
Add carrots, beets and onion. Cover; cook until vegetables are
just tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add
vinegar, cover and cook until vegetables are very tender, about
10 minutes longer.

Working in batches, add sugar and carrot mixture
to blender or food processor. PurŽe. Transfer to large bowl. Mix
in buttermilk. Season with salt and pepper. Chill until cold,
about 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.) Top
with chives.

Julia's note: I have an immersible blender, it's
a GREAT soup tool: just blend the soup right in the pan. I
highly recommend this kitchen gadget.

Rinse the beet greens well, and leave the water
clinging to the leaves. Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet.
Add the greens and lemon juice, cover, and cook over low heat for
5 mins. Then add the shallots and salt and pepper.
Stir well, cover, and cook until the greens have wilted, another
4-5 mins. Adjust the seasonings if necessary, and serve
immediately. Makes 2 portions.

Toast the pine nuts in a 350 F oven for 10
minutes or until light brown. Cool. Wash the greens thoroughly.
If the leaves are young and tender, they can be used whole. If
they're large, remove the stems and chop the leaves coarse. Juice
the orange and the lime into a measuring cup; you should have
about 1/2 cup of juice. Save the rinds. Cook the pasta in a large
pot of boiling salted water until al dente. If you're using fresh
pasta, which needs to boil for only a minute or two, prepare the
sauce before you cook the pasta. In a very large saute pan or
Dutch oven, heat the oil and the garlic over a medium flame just
until the garlic starts to color. Add the beets and citrus juice,
and season with two large pinches of salt and some pepper. Boil
until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add the greens and
toss. If the sauce needs more zing, grate just a bit of orange
and lime peel into it and stir. Drain the pasta, add it to the
sauce along with most of the pine nuts, and stir. Serve on warm
plates with the extra pine nuts and half the cheese crumbled on
top. Pass the rest of the cheese at the table.

Kitchen Garden Magazine, Sept. 1997

ROASTED BEETS

Scrub beets under cold water, rub them with
vegetable oil and sprinkle them with a little kosher salt. Roast
them on a baking sheet at 350 F. Small to medium beets take 30-60
minutes. You may want to cut large beets in half to shorten the
baking time. When the beets can be pierced easily with a fork,
they're done. Once the beets are cool, the skins slip off easily.

I have no trouble finding ways to use leftover,
cooked beets. In my beet vinaigrette, pureed cooked beets take
the place of some of the oil, so this dressing has more nutrients
and less fat than traditional vinaigrettes. The vibrant color
really dresses up garden salads, pasta salads, and fish. One of
my favorite salads is a mixture of greens topped with cubes of
roasted beets, slices of tart green apple, and pats of goat
cheese, all drizzled with sweet-tangy beet vinaigrette.

Kitchen Garden Magazine, Sept. 1997

GRATED CARROT OR BEET SALD WITH CUMIN

Grate or hand-cut carrots or beets, blanch them
briefly in boiling salted water, then drain and towel-dry. Dress
while warm with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette, plus 1 teaspoon orange
flower water if you like.

Pound the garlic with 1/8 teaspoon salt in a
mortar until smooth (or put it through a press), then combine it
in a bowl with the lime zest, juice, scallion, and chile. Toast
the cumin and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet until
fragrant, then immediately remove them to a plate to cool. Grind
to a powder in a spice mill, then add them to the juice mixture.
Whisk in the mustard and oil. Taste and adjust the balance if
needed. Let the dressing stand for at least 15 minutes; add the
cilantro just before using.

Wash, peel, and coarsely grate beets. In a
covered frying pan, melt butter, add beets, and stir to coat with
butter, then sprinkle with lemon juice to taste. Cover and
cook over medium to low heat for aopproximately 10 minutes,
checking occasionally to see that the beets don't burn. (You
could add a few spoonfuls of stock or water to prevent sticking.)
Cook just until tender, then season with salt, pepper, and
additional lemon juice if needed. Sprinkle with dill or
parsley. Serves 4.

Note: Grate other vegetables, such as
cabbage, carrots, and parsnips, cook separately, and arrange in
mounds on a vegetable platter.

julia's note: 'beetroot' is what beets are called in England, I think. I was intrigued by this recipe because of the unusual salad dressing. I'm a big fan of vegetable salads, our dinner table often has a traditional lettuce salad and also a beet or potato or turnip or fennel or celery etc. salad. I love make ahead dinner items, and vegetable-rich ones are an extra bonus.

Slice beets and put into a shallow bowl. Peel and slice the potatoes into half-circles and arrange them in a ring round the edge, slipping the straight edge down between the beets and the edge of the bowl. Mash the eggs to crumbs with a fork, mix them with a heaped tablespoon of parsley and set aside.

For the dressing, cook the onions in a tablespoon of oil in a small covered pan, so that they become soft without browning. Cool and pound with the anchovies, their oil and the remining ingredients (use a blender if possible). Adjust the seasonings (this usually means add S & P to taste).
Spread dressing evenly over the beets. Scatter the egg on top with extra parsley if neccessary. Serve chilled.